In its response to government complaints, the ABC conceded the lack of context around the claim the Prime Minister had chosen the elections’ date was a lapse in the organisation’s standards of accuracy but that did not detract from the body of Probyn’s work.

Earlier this year, the ABC was censured by regulator ACMA for a report by Probyn where the senior correspondent described former Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, as “the most destructive politician of his generation.”

During that ACMA investigation, the ABC also backed Probyn, stating his report “was duly impartial and in keeping with the ABC’s editorial standards”, given Abbott’s history and political track record.

Regarding the latest complaint, the ABC was equally defiant with an ABC spokesperson saying: “Andrew Probyn is a respected journalist who has distinguished himself with a large body of award-winning and news-breaking political reporting during his lengthy career. Before starting as 7.30 Political Correspondent in 2017 he was Federal Political Editor for The West Australian and was twice named Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery Journalist of the Year.

“Andrew is the first to recognise that the ABC has the strongest expectation of accuracy in our coverage and analysis of current events – he meets that expectation daily. In a range of stories Andrew filed concerning the upcoming five federal by-elections, the ABC has acknowledged that one statement in one 7pm News story on Friday 25 May required more context.

“A statement that the Prime Minister chose the 28 July by-elections date should have either been attributed to sources or presented in the context of explicit denials that he had selected the date. In the absence of such context, the statement was found not to have met ABC standards for accuracy.

“This acknowledgement is consistent with the ABC’s rigorous and transparent processes for editorial oversight. It does not detract from the body of quality reporting and analysis Andrew continues to provide to ABC audiences.”

Paul Wallbank was news editor at Mumbrella between June 2017 and June 2019. Previously he's covered business and technology issues for outlets ranging from The Australian and Sydney Morning Herald to the ABC and Business Spectator.

What’s the point of having an independent umpire like the ACMA if the ABC news department is going to continue to thumb its collective noses at their judgements and tell the world that its so-called journalists are really the bees knees despite findings to the contrary? The word “arrogance” hardly comes close!

Andrew Probyn is one of the good journalists at the ABC. In fact beyond good – he’s great. Am sick of these guys being so hen-pecked they no longer have an opinion – and they should. Shit Government or Opposition is just that – and they should have the levity to call that out. Keep it up Andrew.

My money is spent on these two Government owned networks –ABC and SBS. . They are therefore not to be journalists but reporters otherwise they can, say under any Labor/Greens rule, be viewed as a Pravda or People’s Daily.

If I want an opinion I will have to make one myself. The ABC/SBS can report opinions – obviously balanced if there are two sides or more.

It’s a deserved punching bag because they, the ABC (and SBS) so often punch my opinions. I am relying on the majority Government, duly elected, unlike the ABC, to punch for me.

This organisation (and SBS) needs to be brought to heel. Governments in any case should not own media anywhere in the world in any Nation, and also Australia.

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